The Recipe Spot

If the man of the house can safely emerge from his man-cave this Sunday then it’s o.k. to celebrate all things dad because it’s Father’s Day.

Paying tribute to fathers goes back to almost the beginning of time, as scholars claim that the ancient origins of Father’s Day can be traced to nearly 4,000 years ago in the ruins of Babylon.

With no particular time of year cited, anthropologists and historians traced early attempts to honor fathers, found that a young Babylon boy named Elmesu carved a clay card wishing his father long life and good health.

Centuries later, indications of celebrations of father-figures were evident in ancient Rome during the month of February. The Roman holiday of Parentalia honoring parents included festivals and gatherings, but with one caveat: they had to be dead.

The modern version of Father’s Day that honors all men is not just an American tradition, but is celebrated in many countries around the world and depending on the culture, at different times of the year.

Following in the footsteps of national recognition of mothers, today’s version of Father’s Day was first celebrated in Washington State on July 19, 1910, which had overwhelming support from the local YMCA.

After listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909, the idea to honor fathers was conceived by Spokane resident Sonora Smart Dodd who wanted a special day to honor her widowed father of six children and Civil War veteran William Smart.

But the idea to officially recognize fatherhood had a tumultuous start.

After Congress denied two attempts to make Father’s Day a national day of recognition, once in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson and then in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge, the secular day honoring fatherhood became nationally recognized in 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson officially declared the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.

But it was during his re-election campaign in 1972, when President Richard Nixon established the national observance of Father’s Day into law.

So, in honor of dear old dad, give him a break today from his household chores and indulge him by letting him sit in his easy, with the remote control in one hand and a chilled glass of something frothy conveniently within arm’s reach.

On this don’t-mess-with-dad day, go ahead and spoil him by making him feel like a rock star by helping mom in the kitchen with this dad-approved, mega-cholesterol recipe for barbeque beef short ribs that have simmered in the slow-cooker overnight.

Barbeque Beef Short Ribs

2 ½ to 3 lbs. beef short ribs

1 cup water

¼ cup red wine

2 TBSPS. Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup barbeque sauce

1 TBSP. brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Pan sear the short ribs in hot olive oil on the stove top until brown.

Mix the wine, water and Worchester sauce and pour into slow-cooker. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Place the short ribs in the slow cooker. Last, mix the brown sugar in with the barbeque sauce and pour over the ribs. Cook on low for about 8 hours.

Note: It’s best to cook the short ribs in the slow-cooker over night. In the morning, carefully remove the ribs and the sauce and place in a dish and store in the refrigerator until later in the day. Just before serving, skim off the fat and reheat the ribs and sauce. Serve with dad’s favorite side dishes.